2014-06-01

Tech Support Scammers Use Ads and Websites

Not every online ad, domain name, or website, is trustworthy --

Tech Support scammers use landing pages of legitimate-looking websites to perpetrate frauds and spread malware:

"What Google and Facebook both uncovered was that, through the ads and landing pages, these scam advertisers were often presenting themselves as official representatives of companies of the products for which the users were needing tech support, and having them download and install special software as the initial step to solving the problem. The downloaded program - unbeknownst to the user - contained malicious software (“malware”) with viruses, spyware, adware, keystroke loggers and other harmful applications. These malicious programs left virtually every piece of information on a computer vulnerable to theft, including documents, website login IDs and passwords, and other sensitive files that could be used to steal the user’s identity. And in a number of cases, the scam advertiser would hold the user's computer hostage, threatening to delete or steal personal information in exchange for payment of several hundred dollars worth of "support fees."..." Read more here (pdf) and at http://trustinads.org/